Unexpected
by cjgwilliams
Summary: An unexpected betrayal for Uriah leads to an unexpected meeting.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi everyone! There's a lot of first time stories and I wanted to add in my two cents. Major thanks to Eunice339 for beta work and for making this all make sense!

xXx

Uriah slammed his glass down onto the polished wooden bar top before signaling to the pretty blonde bartender. "One more Jack and Coke," he slurred.

Tris raised an eyebrow. It was the third one he'd ordered in the last hour. She walked over to his end of the bar and regarded him with solemn grey eyes. He was cute, really cute, with dark brown skin and warm brown eyes. She guessed he was about her age, which would put him in his early twenties. When he grimaced, she caught the hint of a dimple in his cheek and was sure it would flash more prominently if he smiled, but clearly that was not going to happen today. It was early – barely 1 PM on a Tuesday – and Tris wondered what in the world could have happened to make this cute guy resort to getting absolutely hammered on a workday.

"What's your name, cutie?" she asked.

Uriah scowled at her. "Look, I just want a drink."

Tris crossed her arms under her breasts, annoyed that he thought she was flirting with him. "I need your name so I can tell it to whomever is going to come get you," she said firmly. The bar had a strict policy of cutting patrons off or calling them a ride.

He sighed, "Uriah."

Tris quickly mixed the drink, but held it back in one hand while the other waited palm up in front of him. "Give me your phone and tell me who to call, Uriah."

Uriah groaned and reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. Unlocking it, he handed it to her in exchange for the drink. "Call my brother – Tobias, _not_ Zeke." He drank deeply. "There's no way I can talk to Zeke about this," he mumbled, staring into the glass.

Tris could empathize with the poor guy. He looked absolutely miserable and if she was to call one brother over the other, she had a sneaking suspicion this was due to some family drama; something she understood all too well. She thumbed through his contacts until she found one marked _'Tobias'_. She hesitated for a moment, uncertain which number to call, before deciding on the work number rather than the home or cell considering the time of day it was. If she couldn't get him at work, she'd try the cell. She pushed the button and moved to the other side of the bar even though she didn't think it would matter. Uriah was so engrossed in his own misery she didn't think he'd notice.

The phone rang once and a deep voice answered, "Detective Eaton."

Tris was taken aback. She hadn't expected a cop. "Um, is this Tobias?"

"Yes."

"Um, hi. Is your brother Uriah?"

"Yes." The voice turned from suspicious to concerned. "Is he okay? Who is this?"

"My name is Tris – Tris Prior. I'm a bartender at O'Leary's Pub. Your brother is here and he seems pretty intent on getting totally trashed. He's going to need a ride home."

Tobias let out a frustrated groan. "Shit. Where are you located?"

Tris gave him the address and heard a resigned sigh. "It'll take me about an hour to get there in this traffic. Can you keep him there?"

"Yeah," she said, "don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him." She lowered her voice and added, "He's pretty upset about something."

"Okay. I'm on my way. Thank you, Tris."

She hung up, walked back over to Uriah and set the phone down in front of him. "Your brother is on his way." Uriah didn't move. "Can I get you something else?"

"How about poison? Never mind, my brother has a gun." He stared at the top of the bar, still not moving.

Tris leaned over. "So what's got you down?"

"I caught my girlfriend cheating."

She winced. "Ooh, that's tough. I'm sorry."

"Why?" He turned ravaged eyes to hers. "That's what I can't figure out. _Why?"_

Tris patted his hand sympathetically. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Uriah. Your girlfriend obviously doesn't know what a great guy she had. I know you don't want to hear this, but you'll find someone else, someone who will appreciate you more. I promise."

He seemed unconvinced. "Yeah, maybe."

xXx

Tris kept an eye on him for the next hour. She hesitated in giving him the fourth drink he ordered, but she did knowing his brother was on the way. She had decided to cut him off after that though, so gave him a glass of water to go along with the Jack and Coke. On impulse, she ordered him a plate of French fries too; he was going to need something to soak up all that alcohol once his brother got here.

Tobias made it to the pub as fast as he could. He'd taken the rest of the afternoon off as personal leave. This wasn't the first time he'd had to rescue his little brother from a drunken escapade, but it was certainly the first time he'd done so during the day. If Uriah was at a bar drinking rather than at work, something had to be seriously wrong.

He stepped into the dimly lit bar and pulled off his sunglasses. His gaze swept the room, taking in a couple of customers before landing on his brother who sat slumped at the end of the bar. He let out a sigh of relief and approached the blonde bartender whose back was turned. "Excuse me," he said. "Are you Tris?"

Tris turned around and found herself staring into eyes the same deep blue as Lake Michigan on a clear day. She was momentarily speechless, but recovered quickly, "Yeah. What can I get you, handsome?"

"I'm Tobias Eaton."

Tris was stunned for a quick minute. Tobias certainly wasn't what she'd expected from a cop or even Uriah's brother. He was tall, with wavy dark brown hair and smooth golden skin. Where Uriah was cute, he was without a doubt the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen. "Nice to meet you," she murmured then regained her composure enough to gesture over to the end of the bar. "Your brother is over there."

He nodded. "Did he happen to say what was up?"

"Something about his girlfriend cheating."

Tobias sighed knowingly. He'd never been overly fond of Marlene and always thought she was a bit flighty, so this wasn't a great surprise. "Thanks," he said, his eyes on Uriah now. "How many has he had?"

"Four Jack and Cokes," she answered back, but smirked when he winced. "Don't worry, I made the last couple a little more Coke than Jack before I cut him off."

"Ok, thanks again." He nodded to Tris, wanting to stay and talk to the cute bartender a little longer, but instead took a deep breath and turned towards his brother. "Here we go."

He walked over to Uriah and sat quietly on the barstool next to him. "What's up, Uri?"

Uriah looked over at him through heavy-lidded eyes. "You were right about Marlene. I never should have moved in with her. She's been cheating on me this whole time."

Tobias looked up as Tris placed a glass of clear liquid in front of him. He took a sip and smiled at the club soda. She really was very cute, but Tobias knew this was hardly the time and turned back to Uriah. "Are you sure, Uri? Could you have been wrong?" He doubted it, but just wanted to make sure.

Uriah took a swallow of his Jack and Coke before looking Tobias straight in the eye. "I walked in on her lying on the bed, her legs wide open. Naked."

Tobias winced. "Okay, not wrong." He took another deep breath before continuing gently, "Do you know the guy?"

Uriah's head dropped, avoiding any eye contact with Tobias. "Not a guy. But, yes, I know _her_."

Tobias frowned in confusion. "What? Who?"

"Lynn."

"Oh, shit." Tobias rubbed his hand over his face. "Oh, _shit!_ " He repeated, unable to think of anything else to say.

Tris returned at that moment with a plate of French fries and an extremely sympathetic look on her face. She clearly heard that Uriah had caught his girlfriend with a girl, not a guy. She knew that would be one hell of a blow to any guy's ego, no matter how open-minded he was. "Hey," she said softly, placing the plate in front of him. "I got these for you. Thought they might help."

Tobias shot her a grateful look and took the ketchup from her outstretched hand. "Thanks," he mouthed softly. Tris moved away a little to give them their privacy, but remained close enough if they needed anything else.

"What the hell, Tobias?" Uriah asked. "I mean, _what the hell?_ I didn't think Marlene would ever cheat on me, but Christ, with Lynn? She's going to be family!"

Tobias nodded and munched on a fry for lack of anything else to do. Lynn's sister, Shauna, was engaged to marry their brother, Zeke, in a little over four months. "Tell me what happened – from the beginning."

"There was some kind of problem with the sprinkler system at work. We were working, then _whoosh!_ " Uriah gestured with his hands. "The sprinklers spontaneously came on and we all got drenched. That's why I look like this."

For the first time, Tobias took a good look at his brother's clothes, a blue button down shirt with black pants. They looked stiff and wrinkled, clearly having been wet then dried. "At least it's May – not so cold," Tobias smirked.

Uriah chuckled without humor. "So, they let us all go home until they can find a temporary work space for us. It looks like we'll lose a bunch of the computers and a lot of the files, too," he moaned. "Anyway, I started to call Marlene, but then thought I'd surprise her. It's her day off and we never get to spend a whole day together between work and her classes. I hopped into a cab so I wouldn't have to get on the L like this." He idly turned his glass of water in his hands. "When I got in the house, I heard something so I didn't call out. I just walked into the bedroom and there they were." He picked up the glass and drank deeply, trying to erase the image of what he had seen from his mind. "She was in the bed with Lynn's head between her legs. All I could hear was Marlene moaning. I think I said, ' _What the fuck?'_ or something and they both looked up at me. That's when all hell broke loose. Marlene was all, ' _Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to find out like this_.' Then Lynn jumps in, talking about how she's tired of being a secret and she was glad it was all out in the open. She tells Marlene, ' _It's time to choose, him or me_.' Marlene looks at me again and says, ' _Oh I'm so sorry, Uri_.'" He shrugged. "So, I just left. She was yelling after me, but I just couldn't take anymore." He drained the glass of water. "This was the first place I came across that was open."

Tobias sat for a moment, wracking his brain for something to say. "I'm sorry, Uri," he responded lamely.

Tris came over and refilled Uriah's glass of water. "Do you guys need anything?" she asked softly.

Tobias gave her a brief smile causing Tris' stomach to flip-flop. He really was gorgeous, she thought. "No thanks, Tris." She nodded and walked over to the other side of the bar.

Tobias turned back to Uriah. "So, what do you want to do, Uri?"

Uriah shrugged and guzzled down the water. "I dunno. I can't go back there."

Tobias shook his head. "No, I guess not." He paused for a moment. "You want to crash with me for a few days?"

Uriah laughed, "On that piece of shit you call a couch? No way, man. We nearly killed each other as kids and we had separate bedrooms!"

"I guess that's true enough," Tobias chuckled, "You know what this means?"

Uriah nodded, staring at the empty glass. "I guess I have to tell Mom sooner or later anyway. She'd notice if I were to punch Lynn in the face at the engagement party."

Tobias winced. "Let's forget about punching people for now, okay? I'll take you to Mom's then we can figure out what to do about the party. It's three weeks away so we've got time." He nudged the French fries toward Uriah. "Come on, eat up. Mom will shoot me if I bring you home drunk."

Uriah shoved a few in his mouth. Tris silently came over and refilled his water glass again, moving back to the other side of the bar without a word. Tobias watched her for a moment, appreciating her efficient yet graceful movements. He turned back to Uriah just as he was setting his now empty water glass down with a groan. "God, I gotta pee."

He slid off the barstool and swayed a minute. Tobias reached out to steady him, but Uriah waved him off. "I got it, man." He took a couple of faltering steps, paused, then began again, staggering in the direction of the restroom.

Tobias shook his head and glanced at the last dregs of Uriah's Jack and Coke. With a sigh, he gulped down the last of it, looking up as Tris approached. "Can I get you both anything else?" she asked.

Tobias shook his head. "No, thanks. I really appreciate you calling me."

"No problem." Tris glanced in the direction of the restroom. "Your brother had a rough day. I couldn't leave him to his own devices."

Tobias looked up at her, admiring the way her grey eyes glittered in the dim light of the bar. "You heard?"

"Yeah. Empty bar. Sound travels."

Tobias nodded. "The girl his girlfriend cheated with? Her sister is engaged to our brother."

Tris winced. "Oh, ouch."

He nodded again. "Yeah."

"Want a drink?"

He laughed a little, both of them knowing that wasn't possible if he was going to drive. "No thanks. What does he owe you?"

Tris rang Uriah's tab up, leaving out the French fries – she'd take care of that – then walked back over to Tobias and handed him the bill. "Here you go."

Tobias didn't even look at it, just pulled out his credit card. Tris took it and headed back to the register. She slid the card through and waited. She couldn't resist a quick peek over her shoulder, unable to deny how ridiculously gorgeous he was. There was a story behind his family, she knew. Tobias' tan skin was lighter than Uriah's and he had the most amazing blue eyes. But they were clearly brothers, that much was certain. She wished for a moment that he'd ask her out, but under the circumstances, knew that probably wasn't going to happen. She was glad she was here to help Uriah today since this wasn't a normal shift for her, she'd taken it on impulse when her marketing class was cancelled. Tris sighed, feeling a little disappointed as the receipt finally printed and Tris pulled it out. However, an unexpected impulse took hold and she decided to add a little note at the bottom of the receipt.

Uriah had just rejoined Tobias at the bar when she approached with the receipt and Tobias' credit card. She handed it to him and then reached across the bar to pat Uriah's hand. "I hope everything works out for you," she said softly.

Uriah gave her a tiny smile, looking a little more clear-headed now. "Thanks for everything. You're awesome."

Tobias pulled his copy of the receipt away from the merchant copy, but stifled a grin when he noticed Tris' note, ' _I'm usually here W, Th, F, Sat, 6-12p.'_ Tobias added a more than generous tip before he slid off the barstool and took his brother's arm.

"Thanks again, Tris," he said, guiding Uriah out of the bar. At the door, he looked back and shot her a wink. Tris grinned and looked down at the receipt. Not only had he added a 50% tip, he'd left her his phone number.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi all! I've decided to add a little more to this. Major thanks to Eunice339 for mad beta skills and general advice and guidance. Hope everyone enjoys this!

xXx

When Tobias turned around, his eyes widened and he nearly spit out the mouthful of beer he'd just swallowed. Seeing the look on his partner's face, Amar followed Tobias' gaze only to sigh deeply. "Aw, shit," he mumbled.

Tobias shook his head. "I don't fucking believe it," he murmured, shoving the beer bottle into Amar's hand. "Hold this."

Amar sighed again. "Don't do anything stupid, kid," he said, but it was too late. Tobias was already stalking up the porch stairs, determined to intercept Marlene before everyone gathered in the backyard of Shauna's parents' house could see her. He grabbed her arm when he reached her, pulling her into the kitchen as the porch door slammed behind him.

"Are you fucking crazy?" he hissed. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Marlene looked up at him, "I..."

"She's here with me." Tobias looked over Marlene's blonde curls to see Lynn stalking towards them, her face set in mutinous lines.

"Yeah, I figured that," he spat, sarcasm thick in his voice.

Lynn stepped up to Tobias' chest. She was several inches shorter, but she looked up at him with defiance in every line of her body. "This is _my_ parents' house, _my_ sister's engagement party, and Marlene is _my_ girlfriend."

"And Zeke is Uriah's brother. You're not on some moral high ground here, you know." He looked from Lynn to Marlene. "I can't believe how fucking selfish you both are. Nothing good can possibly come out of this. You know Uri's here."

Lynn crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "I don't care."

Marlene stepped in between them, lightly placing a hand on Tobias' chest while gently moving Lynn aside. "Let's not do this," she said quietly, then turning to Tobias added, "Tobias, I don't want to cause trouble, but I really need to see him."

"Absolutely not."

" _Please_ ," she entreated, her light blue eyes echoing her plea. "We haven't spoken since he found out. He won't take my calls. He even moved his stuff out while I was in class."

"I know." Tobias' face was stone as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Zeke and I helped him."

Marlene sighed, tears filling her eyes. "I never meant for him to get hurt." Behind her, Lynn snorted. Tobias' eyes flared, but before he could retort, Marlene turned to Lynn. "You're not helping," she admonished gently.

Lynn looked hurt. "We wanted each other and he was in our way. It wasn't fair..."

"Yeah, it wasn't fair _– to Uriah!_ " Tobias shot back.

"It's okay, T." All three of them turned around to see Uriah standing in the doorway, his expression grim. "I'll talk to her."

Tobias moved over to him and put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You sure?" Tobias searched his eyes and saw anger and hurt, but also determination in their dark brown depths.

Uriah nodded, his eyes not leaving Marlene's. "Yeah." His voice was flat, almost hard, and Marlene flinched slightly. "We'll go into the living room so nobody will hear," he said gesturing for Marlene to move towards the hallway ahead of him. Lynn turned to follow her, but Uriah stopped her, his eyes dark as he looked at Lynn. " _Alone._ "

"No way in hell!" Lynn yelled.

"I'm not discussing shit with you," he said, a look of disgust on his face. Tobias moved forward to flank his brother, but stopped when Marlene put her hand on Lynn's arm.

"Baby, please, let me do this," she said quietly, stroking Lynn's arm. Uriah's jaw tightened and he strode down the hallway towards the living room, not looking back. Lynn stared after him for a minute then looked at Marlene and visibly softened.

"Okay," she conceded, "but call me if you need me." Marlene nodded and followed Uriah.

Tobias checked the urge to scream at Lynn. "My brother is a good man. Marlene is in no danger."

Lynn snorted. "We'll see."

Tobias' hands clenched into fists that he had to consciously relax. "Now you're just being a bitch. He's never been anything but nice to you. He saw you as a sister every bit as much as he sees Shauna as one," he said quietly. "For you to do this is low and selfish and beyond forgiveness. We were supposed to be family."

She scowled, Tobias' jab had hit its mark.

Satisfied, he turned on his heel to leave, shoving open the screen door with a little more force than necessary. Lynn followed, studiously ignoring him as they both entered the backyard. Zeke and Shauna looked up and Shauna paled when she saw her sister. Zeke frowned as Lynn breezed past her. Shauna ran after her sister, tugging her arm to halt her movements.

Zeke turned to Tobias. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

Tobias sighed and shrugged. "She brought Marlene." He grimaced when Zeke swore. "Yeah, I know. She's in there now with Uri."

Zeke ran a hand across his head. "Fuck. Just... _fuck_." He looked across the yard to see that Shauna had dragged Lynn to a corner and was talking to her quietly. Even from a distance, he could see that Shauna was furious. People were glancing over at them and had begun murmuring, wondering what was happening. Zeke groaned. "This is going to turn into a fucking mess."

Amar joined them. "Where's Uriah?" he asked quietly. He and Tobias had been partners since Tobias had made detective nearly two years ago. They'd clicked immediately and in her usual fashion, Hana, Tobias' mother, had essentially adopted Amar and his long-time boyfriend, George. He handed Tobias a beer, but Tobias didn't drink it. He was pretty sure he'd be leaving soon and wanted to be sober.

"In the living room with Marlene," Tobias responded.

Hana appeared over his shoulder. "What's going on, boys?" she asked having sensed the increased tension. She was shorter than either of her sons, but both of them wilted under her maternal gaze. Even Amar shifted around nervously.

"Lynn brought Marlene. Uriah is in the living room talking to her," Tobias informed her. Hana closed her eyes with a sigh.

"Well shit," Hana said when she opened her eyes.

Just then, they heard the screen door open. Uriah stood in the doorway, his face twisted in fury as he stormed down the stairs, heading towards his family.

"I want to get the fuck out of here," he fumed. He was so upset he didn't even notice that he'd cursed in front of his mother. Then turning to Zeke, "I'm sorry, bro, I just…" he added, his voice trailed off.

"It's okay." Zeke shot a look over his shoulder to his furious fiancée. "I think things are going to just get worse around here."

"I'll take you home, Uri," Tobias offered. Hana stood on her tiptoes to kiss Tobias' cheek, then leaned over and gave her youngest son a fierce hug. She whispered something in his ear and Uriah buried his face in her neck for a moment, nodded, then let her go.

"Let's go take care of your fiancée," Hana said to Zeke, inclining her head. Zeke looked over to see that some people had begun to stare as the argument unfolded on the other side of the yard. Lynn and Shauna's family had now moved over to them.

Tobias led his brother to his car and they piled in. The entire way home, Tobias listened to Uriah vent out his anger, hurt, and frustration. By the time they got home, Uriah said he just wanted to be alone. Tobias nodded and watched until his brother was safely inside their childhood home before backing his truck out of the driveway.

He thought about returning to his apartment, but realized there was only one place he wanted to be.

xXx

Tris gritted her teeth as she felt a hand squeeze her behind. She looked over her shoulder to see Eric moving to the other side of the bar, a smirk playing on his face. She took a deep breath and promised herself that if he did it again, she'd punch him in the junk.

Saturdays were usually Tris' nights as a waitress rather than bartender, so she didn't normally have to put up with much of Eric's flirting. But Edward, their other Saturday bartender, was out of town for his mother's 60th birthday party so Tris had, reluctantly, agreed to tend bar with Eric when her uncle called her for the favor.

She sighed a little to herself as she mixed a Cosmopolitan. It was partially her own fault, she knew. A few months earlier, they had all gone out to celebrate one of their waitress' birthdays and she and Eric had indulged in an awful lot of flirting. She'd accepted his offer for a ride home and let him walk her up to her apartment. The kiss at the door hadn't surprised her, but she'd pulled back, gently explaining to him that she didn't think it was such a good idea for them to date. She didn't want to mix her business and personal lives. Eric had seemed to understand, but every once in a while he thought he could get Tris to change her mind.

Tris thought about asking Bud to fire him, but since she knew he wanted to turn the bar over to her when she was ready, she wanted to prove she could handle employee issues. Not to mention, Eric was, unfortunately, the best bartender they had. He had a flair for mixing drinks and his good looks helped draw in more women than they had before he'd come to work there.

Eric sent her a flirty wink as he turned to a female customer at the other end of the bar. Lauren walked up, rolling her eyes. She'd clearly caught Eric's wink. "What a dick," she mumbled.

Tris shrugged. "I can handle him."

Lauren grinned. "No doubt, but I'd be more than happy to pour some ice down his pants for you." They laughed together at the idea before Lauren put in her customer's drink order. "I need a Glenlivet 12, neat." Tris nodded, pouring the Scotch into a glass and handing it to Lauren who shook her head. "He wants you to deliver it personally," Lauren explained as she inclined her head towards the booth in the back corner.

Tris' smile grew absurdly wide when she realized who was in the booth. Lauren chuckled, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Hey, Eric, I'm taking a break," Tris called out. Eric looked up in surprise, but said nothing as Tris carried the highball glass towards the man sitting in the booth.

Tris took a deep breath as she made her way across the bar. It may have been wishful thinking on her part, but she'd hoped Tobias would show up tonight. She knew tonight was his brother's engagement party, but still she'd hoped. They'd only managed two actual dates between his daytime shift and her classes and nighttime work schedule, but they'd talked on the phone every night since they'd met, usually hours at a time. Their two dates had been casual, fun, and left them both wanting more.

Tobias smiled as she approached. "Hey," he said softly, smiling at her.

"Hey, yourself." She placed the glass in front of him and slid into the booth across from him, smiling when he reached his hand out to grasp hers. "I was hoping you'd come by tonight."

He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "I needed to unwind and the only place I could think of was with you."

Tris' smile turned soft. "I take it the engagement party didn't go well?"

With a sharp bark of laughter, Tobias lifted the glass to his lips for a sip. "Oh, you have no idea. How about I take you out after you get off and tell you all about it?"

"We don't close until one and then I need to help clean up," she warned.

Tobias gestured to his phone on the table. "I've got enough to keep me occupied for a couple of hours. I'll be fine," he insisted when she frowned. "Really. Go on."

"Okay." Tris slid out of the booth and leaned down to brush her lips across his, a small reminder of the passionate kisses they'd shared during their last two dates.

The next couple of hours passed faster than Tris thought they would. Just looking over at Tobias sitting in the booth made her smile. At a couple minutes after one, she turned the lock on the glass door. She glanced over at Tobias who winked at her and she made her way to the bar, intent on cleaning up as fast as she could.

Lauren, seeing the hungry exchange between them, grinned. "Hey, Tris, why don't you guys get going? Eric and I can take care of closing out." She shot Eric a death glare when he started to protest.

"You sure?" Tris asked. Tobias, having overhead Lauren's offer, slid out of the booth and headed towards Tris. She looked up at him, at the slight smile on his face, and any guilt about leaving them to close up without her vanished. "Okay, thanks," she said, "I owe you one." Taking Tobias' hand, she led him to the back lockers where she picked up her purse.

Entwining their fingers, she led him out of the back door. "Where'd you park?" she asked.

"Down the street. Do we need to get your car?"

She shook her head. "Lauren was going to give me a lift."

A delighted light entered his dark blue eyes. "Convenient. Hungry?"

Tris nodded. "How do you feel about pancakes?"

A smile tugged at his lips. "Amenable."

"Then, I know the perfect place."

The 24-hour diner wasn't terribly far from Tris' apartment and, according to the sign in the front window, boasted 'The best hash browns in Chicago'. Tris eyed Tobias' plate when the waitress placed them on the table. She looked at her stack of pancakes then at his diner special of eggs, hash browns, bacon and toast before announcing, "I'm going to eat some of those hash browns, you know."

He laughed, sipping his orange juice. "I'm going to eat some of those pancakes, you know," he parroted.

Nodding in satisfaction, she reached for the syrup. "So, the party was a bust?"

Tobias nodded and as they ate, regaled her with tales of the party and the aftermath. Tris, reaching across the table to snag a piece of his bacon, asked, "So, you never liked Marlene?"

"No, not really. She made such a big deal out of the fact that I was adopted when she met us. Like I'm the first kid to be adopted by their aunt and uncle." He speared half a link of Tris' turkey sausage.

"Wow, that's rude." Tris said, pouring more syrup on her pancakes to Tobias' grimace. He'd snagged a few pieces of pancake earlier, before they were drenched in syrup, but had pretty much given them up. He knew he had a sweet tooth, but his had nothing on Tris'. She looked at him. "You were adopted when you were nine, right?" At his nod, she shook her head. "God, at this point, they are more your parents than your birth family."

Tobias sipped his orange juice. "Well, honestly, it was more why I was adopted." He hesitated for a second then continued. "My father shot my mother then himself."

Tris put down the forkful of pancakes dripping with syrup and reached across the table to cover his hand with hers. "Oh, Tobias, I'm so sorry." She didn't ask for details, but he decided to continue anyway.

"My father used to beat my mom. He'd been hitting her one night when she decided she'd had enough and pulled out a gun she'd bought. Best the police could figure out was she pulled it on him, they wrestled with it and he shot her. Somebody had already called the police, having heard them yelling at each other beforehand. He shot himself right before they came busting in." Tobias shrugged and this time, gulped down more orange juice. He hated telling the story, hated remembering, but Tris was important enough to him to tell her the real truth behind his adoption.

"Anyway, I spent a few days in a group home before my aunt Hana, my mother's half-sister, found out and came to get me. She and Uncle Joe adopted me and that was that. I had an instant stable family, complete with real parents and two brothers."

Tris ate her bite of pancakes and chewed contemplatively. "Were you there when they died?" she asked tentatively.

He nodded, spying a relatively dry piece of pancake on her plate. "My father used to throw me in the closet when they fought. Or when he felt like it, really." He shrugged. "I was in there when it all went down, so I heard everything. One of the neighbors told them my parents had a kid, but it was almost an hour before they searched and found me."

"I can't imagine anything more horrible." Tris' large grey eyes were filled with sympathy. "So, is that why you became a cop?"

Tobias nodded, pleased she'd guessed. "That's why I became a cop."

Tris laced her fingers with his. "You know, it takes strength to overcome something like that." She smiled, hoping to break the seriousness of their conversation. "Strength is really sexy."

Tobias' lips slowly curved into a smile. "So, you almost done?"

"Yeah." She signaled the waitress. "Why don't you take me home?"

They talked all the way back to her apartment, Tris directing him to the guest spaces in the parking lot. He followed her upstairs, intent on making sure she got inside safely. She unlocked the door and turned to say to him, "I had a good time as usual."

Tobias smiled back at her. "Me, too. Thanks for breakfast." He stepped closer to her. "And for helping me unwind."

"Anytime," she breathed, looking up at him, inviting him to kiss her. Tobias cupped her face in his hands and slowly bent his head to brush his lips against hers. Tris' hands curved around his biceps, pressing herself closer to him and deepening their kiss. Tobias' thumbs gently caressed her cheekbones as their lips clung together, parted, then came back together again. They were so wrapped up in each other neither noticed they were still outside her apartment in the hallway. The only thing they could feel were each other's bodies as the heat gradually built between them. As Tobias moved against her, his tongue caressing hers, Tris realized they'd passed the point of no return.

Tris wasn't sure if she moved back or Tobias moved forward, but the next thing she knew, they were inside her apartment. Pulling away from him, she flipped on the overhead light and leaned back against the door. Tobias rested his hands against the door on either side of her, caging her between them. He leaned down, his lips a hairsbreadth from hers. "Would it be too forward if I asked to spend the night?" he asked, his voice deep and husky.

In answer, Tris ran her hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck as she pulled him the last couple of inches to her, plunging her tongue into his mouth. When they finally broke for air, she reached down for his hand. "Follow me," she said, leading him down the short hallway to her bedroom. He stopped, watching as she moved to the bedside table to flip on the lamp. She turned to him and crooked her finger. With a grin, he sauntered over to her. She looked into his eyes as she reached up and began to unbutton his shirt. Over breakfast, he'd rolled the sleeves up, so Tris easily pushed it off his shoulders. Without breaking eye contact, she let her fingers trail to his jeans. She unbuckled his belt, slowly unfastening the button and lowering the zipper. Tobias stopped her hands when she went to push them down so he could step out of his shoes. Together, they pushed his jeans and boxer shorts down his legs. He kicked them and his socks aside while Tris stood and looked her fill.

Dusky gold skin stretched over his defined pecs and abs. A sprinkling of hair dotted his chest, and Tris' eyes followed the line of muscles all the way down. Returning her eyes to his, she noted his dark blue eyes had darkened to nearly black and she could see his jaw was tightly clenched. She smiled at the obvious desire etched on his face. She cleared her throat and hoped her voice wouldn't crack. "You should get into bed."

Tobias smirked. "And you should get undressed," he returned, turning slightly to pull the covers down the bed. Tris was mesmerized as she watched his strong legs move as he climbed into her bed. He lay on his side, propped on his elbow and raised his eyebrows. "Well?" he drawled.

Tris pulled the clinging black t-shirt over her head, dropping it to the floor next to her. She shimmied the black pants over her hips. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess of Lingerie for the impulse she'd had earlier in the day to wear a matching lace bra and panty set. With his dark eyes glued to her, Tris felt unbelievably sexy as she reached behind her to unhook her bra. Tobias licked his lips as she pushed her underwear down her legs and stood before him naked. "Like what you see?" she teased.

Without a word, he held the covers up so she could slide into the bed next to him and he immediately hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her beneath him. Fire engulfed them as he bent his head and kissed her fiercely, their hands roaming, caressing, squeezing. This time would not be soft and gentle; neither of them seemed to have the patience for a slow seduction. Tobias' lips trailed down her body, licking and nipping at the flesh. Tris moaned and arched beneath him as his tongue swirled around one nipple, then the other. Her fingers tangled in his hair, urging him further down her body. Tobias happily complied, his hands parting her legs and opening her to him. His tongue snaked out, the first firm lick causing her back to arch from the bed.

Tris' high moan was very nearly his undoing. Tobias couldn't remember if he'd ever been this hard, this ready for a woman before in his life. Her taste was incredible and the scent of strawberries, vanilla and her went straight to his head like a shot of pure alcohol. He clutched her thigh in one hand while the other traced over her. He slowly slid two fingers inside her, moaning at the moist heat that clung to him.

"No, now. Tobias, please, now." She pulled him up. Tobias let his lips trail up her body until he was stretched out on top of her.

"Condoms?"

"Drawer."

He reached over to the drawer beside the bed and fumbled inside until he found the unopened box. He grinned at her. "These are new."

She grinned back. "Let's just say, I had a sense of optimism." Tobias chuckled and eagerly tore into the box, yanking out a condom and dropping the box on the bedside table. He sat back on his haunches and tore open the package. Tris sat up and took it from him. "Allow me."

They reversed positions, Tobias laying on his back. She unrolled the condom over him, smiling as she watched his hands clutch the sheets next to him. Throwing one leg over him, Tris began to lower herself. She moved slowly downward, pausing to allow herself time to adjust. When he was fully seated inside her, she let out a pleasured grunt.

Tobias grasped her hips and looked into her stormy grey eyes. "Tris," was all he could say. She occupied his every thought, his entire world had narrowed down to her. Her breasts swayed gently as she rose and fell over him. She let her head drop back, her golden hair trailing down to tickle his thighs. Tobias was sure there wasn't a more erotic sight in the world.

She moved, undulating her hips, as she leaned forward. Tobias tangled his hands in her hair, kissing her deeply, rising up to meet her downward thrusts. They moved together, their bodies in sync as though they'd done this a thousand times before. Tobias felt her getting tighter, her inner muscles squeezing him. Knowing she was close to unraveling, he moved faster, his hands wandering down her back to grip her hips and pull her tightly against him as they moved. He loved the soft, breathy sounds she made as she got closer and closer to her peak. He knew she was there when her eyes squeezed shut.

Tris braced her hands against his shoulders, her fingers digging in as she felt her entire body shake. She didn't even try to muffle her moan as multicolored lights exploded behind her closed eyelids.

Tobias waited until her legs stopped shaking, trailing his hand down her thigh, encouraging her leg to straighten. He deftly flipped them over, bracing his forearms on either side of her head, and allowed himself to get lost in her body. He moved fast, almost brutally, unable to stop his frantic movements. Tris regained enough of her senses to run her hands down his back, grasping his behind in her hands and giving it a healthy squeeze.

Tobias felt like he'd lost all control. His lungs burned, his body shook, but nothing in the world could make him slow down. He was a complete slave to the sensations she invoked in him. He felt her legs squeeze his waist and he finally let go, waves of unrelenting pleasure washing over him. He froze, his body locked until he was drained, collapsing on top of her. He gasped for breath for a moment then summoned the energy to flop on his back next to her.

Tris pulled herself across his chest, resting her head over his heart, reveling in the fast beat from their exertion. She traced a finger around his nipple and he gave a weak laugh.

"Gonna need a minute, babe," he teased.

Tris laughed. "Don't worry, so do I." She propped herself up and soaked in his relaxed features. She traced his full lips with her finger. "I love your mouth," she murmured.

He kissed her fingertip. "I'm feeling quite fond of just about every part of your body." He ran his hand down her back and squeezed her butt. Reaching his other hand up, he brushed her hair away from her face. "Tris," he started.

Her smile turned soft. "I know, me too," she said, bending her head to kiss him. With a contented sigh, she rested her head against his chest once again. "Think you can stay tomorrow night, too?"

He ran his hand softly over her hair. "I think I can stay every night," he vowed. He felt her smile against his chest as his heart picked up its pace once again, but this time not from their exertion.

"That sounds like a good deal," Tris responded, her heart beating in time with his.


	3. Chapter 3

_I know, another chapter is...unexpected (wink, wink). Yeah, yeah, bad joke._

 _Thank you to all my reviews both members and guests. The support you all have shown me really made me feel better about posting on this site. I'm really lucky to have you all. For the guests, I wish I could email you back but alas FFN does not allow me to do so, but thank you!_

 _Much love to the ever amazing Eunice339 for beta services!_

xXx

Tobias' eyes rolled back into his head. " _Tris_ ," he moaned, his hands buried in her hair, holding her to him.

Tris' lips stretched into a grin momentarily before returning to her task. She feathered her tongue along the underside of his shaft, teasing him, before circling the head and plunging back down. Her fist grasped his base, holding him steady so she could take the rest of him into her mouth. He moaned again as she sucked him, her cheeks hollowing while cupping his balls in her other hand.

She peeked up at him and felt a deep longing in her belly as she looked at him. Tobias' light blue shirt hung open, revealing his muscular chest to her as his head was propped against the back of her couch. Sensing her gaze, his dark blue eyes locked onto hers, nearly black with his desire. At times like this, he was so ridiculously gorgeous, it was all Tris could do to concentrate on him and put her own needs temporarily aside. After a moment, she bobbed her head up and down, allowing her teeth to very gently scrape against the underside of his shaft. She felt him stiffen under her and his hands tightened on her head as he groaned through his release.

Tris sat back, licking her lips, a smile on her face as she took in the satisfied look on her man's face. The last couple of months with Tobias had been wonderful. They'd discovered a mutual passion for cooking, science fiction books and action movies. They were also both sports fans, especially football, basketball and soccer. They could spend hours just talking, but the physical attraction between them was white-hot too.

Tobias lifted his head and looked down at the smirk on her face. Without a word, he reached down and pulled her up and onto his lap, straddling him. Tangling his hands in her hair, Tobias pulled her head down to his and kissed her deeply. Tris returned his ardor, rolling her hips against his. In response, his hands wandered down her back to her waist, then slipped under her shirt. As his lips trailed down to her neck, his hands traveled up until they cupped her breasts, his thumbs circling her nipples roughly. Tris gasped, grinding down on him again. She laced her fingers through his hair and urged him back up to her lips.

The timer on the oven beeped.

"Ignore it," he murmured against her lips. Tris just nodded, tugging on the silky strands of his hair. He kissed her, moving his hands gently around her bra strap to reach for the hooks.

This time, Tris' cell phone rang.

Tobias groaned in frustration and Tris chuckled, "To be continued." She pecked him on his lips and reached for her phone, thumbing it on without looking at the screen.

"Hello?" Tris rose from his lap, her expression becoming serious. "Oh, hi, Dad. No, I was just about to sit down to dinner with Tobias." She glanced at him, nodding her head towards her bedroom before turning in that direction. "No, I don't want to hear your opinion about that," she said sharply, closing the bedroom door behind her with a little more force than necessary.

Tobias heaved a sigh. He knew that Tris and her parents had a tumultuous relationship stemming back to when she dropped out of college after her sophomore year. He hadn't been able to get her to give him all of the details, but whatever it was had put a serious dent in her relationship with her parents.

He reached down and hitched up his pants, buttoning them and his shirt up, while leaving the shirt untucked. His suit jacket and tie were still draped over the chair and he decided to just leave them there. Tris would end up stuffing them in with her dry cleaning as she usually did when he spent the night. Maybe it appeared they were moving too fast to some – her father, for instance – since they had progressed to the point where they each kept spare clothes, including work clothes, at each other's apartments. Tobias wasn't sure why things with Tris felt so right, they just did, and he was going to ride the wave for as long as it lasted. Deep in his heart, he was hoping that wave never ended.

He headed into the kitchen, washing his hands and busying himself with the simple process of preparing dinner to take his mind away from his concern about Tris. Every time she talked to her parents, she was annoyed and stressed afterward. With that in mind, he pulled out a bottle of wine to breathe. He turned off the oven and pulled out the lasagna they'd put in to reheat before becoming distracted with each other.

Placing the lasagna on the stovetop to cool, he then slid the prepared garlic bread into the oven to finish toasting. He smiled a little as he cut the lasagna and scooped it onto plates. Their first date had been a cooking class and they'd enjoyed cooking together ever since.

Tobias looked up just as Tris was walking into the kitchen, an aggravated look on her face. He immediately poured and handed her a glass of wine.

"Thanks," she said appreciatively, taking the glass and drinking deeply. She leaned against the counter, watching as he pulled the bread out of the oven and placed a couple of slices on each plate next to the lasagna. He turned to speak to her, but she put her glass down, wrapped her arms around his waist and just held on.

Tobias ran his hand down her hair. Kissing the top of her head, he asked, "You all right?"

She nodded against his chest then gave him one final squeeze before releasing him. "Yeah… Let's just eat, okay?"

Tobias searched her eyes for a moment then nodded. "Okay." He refilled her wine glass and handed her a plate. They each took their plate and wine into Tris' smallish dining room and sat at the table. "Want to talk about it?" he asked hesitantly.

"No," Tris said, looking at her plate.

They ate in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Tris glanced up at him, noting his head was bent, his eyes on his food. She cleared her throat. "You never asked me the full story about me and my parents," she said quietly.

Tobias looked up, sipping from his glass. "I figured you'd tell me in your own time."

Tris laughed a little. "You've got to be the most patient man on the planet."

He snagged the last piece of garlic bread on her plate. She glared at him as he chuckled, "I've found you create trust if you let the witness take their time and volunteer information."

Tris sat back, amused, "So I'm a reluctant witness?"

Stuffing the bread in his mouth, he grinned, cheeks puffed out, eyes twinkling with amusement. Tris snorted and rose to retrieve more garlic bread and wine from the kitchen. She refilled each of their glasses and grabbed a piece of bread. Sitting back down, she ate a few mouthfuls. "You know I dropped out of college the first time."

Tobias nodded, reaching for another piece of garlic bread too. "You dropped out of Illinois after your sophomore year, right?"

Tris nodded. "Yeah, I had really wanted to go out-of-state for college, but Caleb was already at MIT and my parents said they couldn't afford for both of us to go to out-of-state schools. So, I went to Illinois."

"Where your dad is a professor and he could see you every day," he concluded.

She pointed her wine glass at him. "Yes, my dad is a professor and my mom is a social worker. Even with Caleb's scholarship, there were books and other incidentals that made putting me through college at the same time a hell of a strain. Since Dad worked at Illinois, we could use his faculty discount to cut costs. So, I told myself I could suck it up for freshman year and insisted they allow me to stay in the dorms to get a little space, but I was still miserable. I was doing what they wanted, but it just didn't fit me. There was an upside, though. Christina was my roommate and we hit it off great. We've been friends ever since. Then, at the beginning of sophomore year, I met Fernando."

Tobias let out a bark of laughter. " _Fernando?_ "

Tris mock glared at him. "Yes, Fernando. He was three years older and in a band. We went from 0 to 100 overnight." She shook her head and drank her wine. "My dad went ape-shit."

He placed the fork on his now empty plate and sat back, his glass in hand. "I'll just bet he did," he murmured. It certainly explained why her parents weren't so thrilled with her relationship with him. Tobias could only guess that they assumed she was barreling ahead once again.

She shrugged. "Towards the end of the year, Fernando and his band got an opportunity to play a few gigs out in LA and he wanted me to go with him. I thought I could just transfer to a school out there. I'd been on the Dean's List and was pretty sure I could get work-study or even a scholarship to help cover the difference in tuition. I told my parents what I wanted to do and my dad lost it. We got into a huge argument and he finally snapped and told me this was why they really hadn't let me go away to school. Apparently, I was 'too reckless' and 'too impulsive'. Surely, I should've seen I wasn't mature enough to be on my own. I was livid and left with Fernando as soon as the semester was over." Tris picked up her fork again and finished off her lasagna.

Tobias looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "Let me get this straight. You took off for California at twenty with your boyfriend and his band?"

"What can I say? Musicians are sexy."

Finishing off his wine, he stared at her over the rim. "I play the guitar, you know."

She stared back at him for a moment, her mouth agape before bursting into laughter. "You're kidding."

"Nope," his eyes twinkled, "but go on. We'll get back to that later."

"Oh, count on it. But anyway, I went. Fernando and I combined the savings we both had and got a cheap little apartment. I played roadie and gopher for them during gigs, but those dried up pretty fast. Bands are a dime a dozen out there. So, I got a job waitressing to make ends meet. After I turned 21, I started bartending, which was more money. I intended to go back to school, but I was working so much, I didn't have time. Plus, I had to work every shift I could just to make ends meet because Fernando's gigs were so sporadic, and that meant I couldn't travel with the guys."

"How long did you stay out there?"

Tris rolled her eyes upward, counting in her head. "Almost three years total. Fernando didn't make enough to support us, so I did."

Tobias emptied the bottle of wine, splitting it between their two glasses. "What happened between you two?"

Sipping, she thought about the question. "Nothing. And everything," she shrugged helplessly. "He didn't cheat on me, at least I don't think he did. He didn't do drugs, didn't hit me. He just didn't do _anything_. I would work, help out with his gigs, do all the chores, balance the checkbook – all the adult stuff," Tris laughed, a hint of bitterness in her tone. "I worked, he played and eventually, that just wasn't enough for me. Finally, I got up the nerve to call my parents and asked them to send me money to come home."

"How'd Fernando take it?"

"Embarrassingly well. He just kissed my forehead and wished me all the best. I don't know if he really loved me or if he was only fond of me because I took care of him. Regardless, he moved in with the band's drummer and his girlfriend, whose job it then became to take care of him, and I got to return to my parents' home with my tail between my legs." Tris drank deeply. "I took a job waitressing again so I could pay rent to my parents and buy a car. They offered to send me back to school, but that came with so many strings; I said no. I might've returned home, but I had my pride. I didn't want to go back to being completely dependent on them because then I would feel obligated to be what they wanted, instead of what I wanted." She leaned back. "It was an awful time. I doubted everything about myself and before long, I was arguing with my parents all the time. The only person who really understood me was Bud, my mom's brother, who'd been coming regularly to visit us since I was a kid. He's a black sheep too, so we've always been really close."

Tobias nodded. "He owns O'Leary's, right?"

She nodded in return. "Yeah, when he saw how miserable I was with my parents, he offered to help me get a fresh start if I moved to Chicago. I jumped at the chance. He helped me get an apartment and gave me the job at the bar. I loved working there so much I realized almost immediately that I wanted to run it someday. I spoke to Bud and he loved the idea of turning the place over to family once I was ready. I wouldn't let him pay for school, though. That's all on me. It'll be a couple of years, but I'll get my business degree and be ready to take over," Tris smiled at Tobias. "So, it'll all work out."

"I take it your parents aren't too thrilled."

Laughing, Tris said, "I think my dad may be just as mad as when I took off for California. He's convinced, even after these last couple of years on my own, I don't know how to manage my life and should go home, let him find a nice husband for me and live a quiet life. He calls every few months to try and talk me into that, but he can forget it. I'm doing just fine."

Leaning forward, Tobias reached across the table to take Tris' hand in his. "I'm falling in love with you," he stated bluntly.

Tris blinked. "Where did that come from?"

He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. He could see the slight panic in her eyes, but he didn't take offense. In fact, it amused him a little because he wasn't sure if she knew how often he'd caught her watching him when she thought he wasn't looking. The look he saw each time in Tris' eyes was the same one he was sure was in his whenever her looked at her. "I've been feeling it for some time now and what you've just told me makes it all the more real. You've bounced back from everything that's been thrown at you. You're incredible and I want you to know it."

She smiled at him, squeezing his hand back. "I don't know about all that, but I think you're pretty amazing yourself." They stared into each other's eyes, each basking in the emotion they saw reflected in them.

Tobias finally broke the silence. "We should get ready for bed. I think I owe you a little something."

With a rich, sensual laugh, Tris purred, "Oh, I wouldn't call it 'little'."

Tobias grinned at her. They cleaned up together, putting away dishes, wiping down the counters. The simple, domestic chores didn't dampen the growing sexual tension between them; in fact, it only seemed to heighten it. They were each aware of where the other was, could feel the other's body heat. When Tris deemed the kitchen clean enough, she reached for his hand, pulling him down the short hallway to her bedroom.

They even turned preparing for bed into a tease. Tris patted his ass as he bent over to plug his cell phone into the charger and he nibbled on her shoulder as she brushed her teeth in the bathroom. By the time they were finished, Tobias hadn't even bothered to put on his pajama pants; he just slid naked into bed next to her. Without a word, he covered her body with his, kissing her deeply. Tris wound her arms around his neck and parted her legs, allowing him to nestle between them.

Tobias began his slow journey down her body, lips trailing, hands caressing all his favorite places. He nibbled on the underside of her breasts, then kissed his way down her stomach, making her giggle as he lightly tickled her sides. Tris squirmed beneath him as he teased the inside of her thighs, licking, sucking everywhere but where she most wanted him. When he ghosted his lips very lightly over her, she gasped out, "Dammit, Tobias, stop teasing me!"

He chuckled and curved his hands around her hips, pulling her closely to him. Taking her words as a challenge, his mouth descended on her, his tongue sweeping firmly over her, dipping deeply inside her. Tris clutched the mattress on either side of her, raising her hips. She didn't try to hold back her moan as his tongue spread her open, caressing every inch of her. She wasn't aware of the little high-pitched sounds she made, but Tobias was and so he increased the pressure of his mouth. Just as he felt her body begin to shake, he slipped two fingers inside her. Hearing her pleasure was music to his ears. She pressed her hips into his mouth, soaking up every ounce of gratification he gave her. She finally collapsed back on the bed as he crawled up her body.

Tris pulled him on top of her, kissing him feverishly as she wound her legs around his. Tobias lowered his weight on top of her, teasing her entrance with his cock. He slid forward, entering her slowly. Tris loved the feel of him, loved his weight on top of her, loved the hard ridge of flesh buried deeply inside her. She moved her hips, encouraging him to start moving. Since they'd both come once already, Tobias pulled out inch-by-inch, drawing out the pleasure of moving in and out of her. Tris dug her fingers into his shoulders and arched her back slightly. "God, you feel good," she whimpered.

"Tris, Jesus, Tris," he gasped out, using all of his control to try and keep the pace slow. He braced his arms on either side of her, his fingers tangled in her hair, their eyes locked. Despite his best efforts, the sheer satisfaction of being inside her won out and he began to move faster. Tris hitched her legs higher on his hips, her heels pushing him from behind, urging him on. They strained against each other, the slippery slide of their skin heightening the sensations until the wave broke over them and they came together, each of them gasping and moaning.

Tobias rolled to the side, lying on his back next to her as they caught their breaths. Tris recovered first, propping herself up on her elbow and grinning at him. "That was fun."

He laughed, "Glad to know I made it worth your while."

Tris leaned down and kissed him. "You always do." Running her hand through his hair, her expression turned serious. "I've never felt like this with anyone," she said. She wanted to tell him she loved him too, knew she did, but she was holding herself back. Whether she liked it or not, her father was in her head and there was a small part of her that wondered if she and Tobias would crash and burn like she and Fernando had. But at times like this, when he was smiling at her, his blue eyes full of love, their bodies warm against each other, Tris was sure there was nothing more in this life she wanted.

Tobias' cell phone rang and he groaned. She laughed, "Our evening continues to be interrupted. You get that while I clean up."

He reached over to grab his phone and seeing Uriah's name flash, swiped his finger across the screen. "Hey, Uri, what's happening?"

"Hey, bro! Listen, I'm at a concert here in the city and have an early meeting. Do you mind if I crash at your place?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'm at Tris' tonight anyway."

"Cool. Tell her 'Hey!' from me and thanks."

"Sure, no problem." Tobias hung up just as Tris re-entered the bedroom. Kissing her swiftly, he took his turn in the bathroom. They both returned to the bedroom at the same time, Tris handing him a bottle of water. As they settled back into bed together, Tris asked, "Who was that?"

"Uri. He's going to crash at my place so he won't have to go all the way home then come back early tomorrow morning."

"Oh, good." She absently traced patterns on his chest with her finger for a minute. "Listen, I have an idea. Feel free to say no."

"Uh-oh." Tobias raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "What's up?"

"What do you think about introducing Uri to Christina? She and her ex-boyfriend, Will, called off their long distance relationship a few months ago and she's ready to start dating again."

Tobias hesitated for a moment, turning the idea over in his head. Uriah had been on a couple of dates, but nothing serious. Tobias had met Christina a few weeks ago and liked the vivacious woman. She was brutally honest, but at this point, that might actually be refreshing for Uriah.

"It doesn't have to be a date," Tris pressed on. "We can double with them and keep it casual."

Tobias nodded. "Yeah, I think it's a good idea. Let's do it."

"Really?"

"Really." He leaned forward. "Who knows, they might hit it off."

Tris snuggled into him. "I'm hoping so." They settled back into bed once again, each hopeful for whatever would come next.


End file.
